EAST LANSING – The guy doing the picking – picking on and picking apart the Michigan State secondary -- rightfully got most of the attention.

Ohio State's 49-37 win at Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium was the national arrival of OSU redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett.

He's a heck of a quarterback," MSU defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said of Barrett, who was 16-for-26 for 300 yards and three touchdowns, to go with 86 yards and a pair of touchdowns rushing.

But that means someone on the other side had to get picked on, and MSU sophomore cornerback Darian Hicks was the primary victim. Hicks -- having a solid sophomore season as the new starter with Darqueze Dennard off to the NFL -- gave up a 43-yard pass to Devin Smith on a third-and-23, then let Michael Thomas get away for a 79-yard touchdown to tie the game at 21-21 late in the first half.

"That's just bad technique on my part," Hicks said of the touchdown, a quick slant pattern that turned into a long run when he couldn't hang on. "I've got to be better at the line, not bounce outside when he's going inside. I have to wrap up and make the tackle too."

Hicks saw a lot more action than those two plays and made some of his own, collecting eight tackles. He showed up after the game to answer questions from reporters. Before that, he heard some words from MSU senior safety and tri-captain Kurtis Drummond.

"I just tell him to keep working," Drummond said of Hicks. "Tell him they're gonna keep coming at you, you're gonna have a chance to make plays. He did a great job of staying mentally focused and not letting things get to him, and this is a growing experience for him. He's still a young kid, just really playing in his first big games this year. So he's learning, he's growing."

And he wasn't the only one making mistakes. OSU went up 28-21 at the half on a 44-yard bomb to Smith, who raced past safety RJ Williamson.

"They've got the ball (near) the 50 and put (Smith) in the slot," MSU coach Mark Dantonio said. "We didn't recognize it, boom. We're in Cover 1, man with the middle of the field safety. Safety doesn't get over to go seam to seam and it's a touchdown."

And for the second time this season against a high-powered offense – the first a 46-27 loss at Oregon -- the Spartans were reminded that it's not easy to replace players such as Dennard and safety Isaiah Lewis.

"They just had a better game plan, I think," Hicks said. "They beat us on the passes and the runs too. We've just got to be better."

TWITTER TWEAKS: Thomas had some fun with the MSU secondary after the game, asking the whereabouts of the "No Fly Zone," the nickname MSU's defensive backs gave themselves last season. And OSU running back Ezekiel Elliott made reference to a comment from Dantonio that the OSU camp took as guaranteeing victory.

Dantonio was asked if "we got a win coming" by Cari Champion on ESPN's "First Take" on Friday and he said: "We got a win."

Elliott tweeted after the game: "The worst feeling is talking too much and not backin it up. Love my brothers on the the next one. GO BUCKS! #DontGuaranteeWinsCoach"

ROSTER REPORT: MSU senior linebacker Mylan Hicks dressed but was available for emergency duty only and did not play. Hicks broke his arm in an Oct. 4 win over Nebraska.

Defensive tackle James Kittredge, who last played in the season opener, dressed, as did offensive lineman Zach Higgins, who suffered a knee injury in spring ball and has not played this season.

MSU junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun limped off the field twice but managed to return both times.